Baker Street Ultimo

With his arms spread wide over the counter of his new Harris Street bakery café, Juan Duret explains: “I just love cooking! You start with a bag of flour and convert it into all of this!” His enthusiasm for baking everything from scratch is quite contagious. His Argentinean background explains the presence of moist Alfajores ($2.50) filled with my favourite caramel, dulce de leche. His Chocolate Alfajor ($2.50) knocks the Aussie Wagon Wheel off the map. You’ll also find Meat Empanadas ($3.50) on the menu. Now since the generous filling of lean beef, olives, egg and raisins is folded inside buttery puff pastry, I wouldn’t call them traditional, but they’re certainly tasty. The same flaky pastry comes up an absolute treat on an excellent Spinach and Fetta Roll ($3.40). I didn’t have space to scoff a Sausage Roll ($3.40), but my compatriot Stephanie Clifford-Smith gave them her seal of approval in Three of a Kind back when Juan worked at the Summer Hill Village Patisserie. So mosey on down from TAFE NSW’s Ultimo campus, or the ABC, for the perfect afternoon pick-me-up of a creamy Pear and Ricotta Tart ($3.50) and an Aroma CoffeeLatte ($2.80). Dine in, or take it back to your desk if you must…